Picker-staff controller.



Patented July 2, lem.

F. B. CUMINS.

PICKER STAFF CGNTBOLLER.

(Application led Jan. 14, 1901.)

(No Model.)

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NITED STATES PATENT OEErcE.

FRANK B. OOMINS, OF SHARON, MASSACHUSETTS.

PICKER-STAFF CONTROLLER.

SPECIFICATION forming' part Of Letters Patent N0. 677,563, dated July 2, 1901.

Application lecl January 14, 1901, Serial No. 43,119. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK B. CoMrNs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sharon, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Picker-Sta Controllers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to improvements in mechanism for controlling the movement of picker-staffs.

One object of the invention is to control the action of the picker-staff at the ends of its throw.

Another object of the invention is to so construct a pneumatic check or buffer and mechanism related thereto that the buer will be acted upon as the picker-staff approaches the ends of its throw.

Another object ofthe invention is to so construct a pneumatic cushion and mechanism related thereto that the picker-statt can be controlled thereby throughout its driven movement.

Another object of the `invention is to provide a new and useful pneumatic butter.

The invention consists in a controller-arm adapted to be moved by the picker-staff and means for resisting the movement of this arm at both ends of its throw.

The invention also consists in a xed resilient buffer, a cam mounted in compressible relation to the butter, and connections between the cam and the picker-statt'.

The invention also consists in the pneumatic buier or cushion, a cam mounted to ride on a portion of the buer, and means connected with the picker-statt for rocking the cam.

The invention also consists' in the construction of the cam and its actuating means operatively connected with the picker-stad.

The invention also consists in the construction of the buiier or cushion.

The invention still further consists in such other novel features of construction and combination of parts as shall hereinafter be more fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1 represents an elevation of the picker-staff controller mounted in relation to parts of a loom. y Fig. 2 represents a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 represents a sectional view of the pneumatic cushion.

Similar numbers of reference designate cor- 5 5 responding parts throughout.

In carrying this invention into practice it has been my object to control the action of the picker-staff of a loom throughout its course of movement, and particularly at the 6o ends of such course, whereby the shuttlethrowing blow of the staff becomes more positive and accurate, the tendency of the stad to rise on its bearing at the end of its driven motion is overcome, the limit of its movement under momentum is reduced, and its recovery accelerated without an undue and sudden retractive action on the staff, while its seating in its normal position is cushioned by reactive means designed t0 assist in any 7o initial shuttle-throwing impulse.

In the drawings, 5 represents a portion of a loom-slay, and 6 a picker-statt constructed and operated in any usual manner. Secured to the picker-sta for adjustment thereon is the box 7, provided with screw 3 and the pin 9, on which is rotatable the antifrictionsleeve 10.

From the slay 5 or from any other convenient portion of the loom extends the bracket 8o 11, having the arms 12 12 or other supporting extensions, and in bearings in these arms are journaled the'pivots 13 13 of the controller member. This controller member comprises the curved side plates 14 and 15, either 85 or both of which-in this case plate 15-is furnished with a slot 16 of approximately the radius shown in the drawings and designed to act as a path or guide in which the sleeve 10 works. The outer ends of the plates are 9o connected by the cross-piece 17 and their inner ends by the pivot base or block 18, and from this base 18 extends the cam 19, so shaped that its working face 2O may throw rearwardly and having a gradual approach 95 to that face, so that a yielding mechanism bearing lon the face 2O may be in permanent contact with the face 2O and the approach thereto during any vertical swinging of the controller member on its pivots.

Formed in part with or secured to the bracket 11 is the chamber 2l, having the inwardly-inclined wall 22, furnished with the internal annular supporting-face 23 and the IOO annular locking-lip 2l. This wall 22 has a perforation in which is secured the vent-pin 25 or other device for controlling the escape of air from said chamber under some conditions. Between the annular face 23 and the lip 24 is seated and held the circumferential flange 26 of the convex elastic diaphragm 27, having the depressed center 28,through which is secured the metallic riding button 29, having a convex outer surface and an axiallydisposed vent 30. The pneumatic cushion thus described is disposed on the bracket 11, so that its riding button 29 will bear against the working face 2O of the cam 19 and under pressure will follow and bear against those portions of the cam called approachesf7 whereby during the swinging of the controller member the cam working or compressing face 2O and the approaches thereto continually ride over the button 29, which, through the pressure within the chamber 2l, tends to resist the thrust of the cam.

With the mechanism in the positions shown in Fig. l of the drawings, the picker-staff being in position to be actuated to drive the shuttle, the riding button 29 is forced by the pressure within the chamber 2l against the cam-face 2O and exerts a pressure thereon. When the picker-staff 6 is actuated, this pressure of the chamber or cushion on the leverage furnished by the radius of the cam from its pivots assists the primal lifting of the controller member to facilitate the passage of the antifriction-sleeve l0 and its pivot through the cam-slot 16, the actual lifting of this controller member being due to the riding of this sleeve in said cam-slot. As the picker-staff approaches midway of its throw the antifriction pivot-bearing rides through the lower curve of the slot 16, the cam-face 20 being sol shaped that at this time no resistance is offered to the complete expansion of the diaphragm to exert on said cam-face or its approach merely a controlling contact of the riding button. Approaching the end of the picker-staff throw the bearing-sleeve l0 rides into the upward extension of the cam-slot I6 at the free end of the controller member, thus depressing this end of the member and bringing a corresponding compression by the cam` face 2O on the pneumatic-cushion diaphragm,

cam-face 20 by the pneumatic cushion or otherA resistance device.

It is obvious that the cam-slot 16 should be so shaped that it will not unduly retard theA picker-staff in :its throw or recovery, the re-v sistance to the forward movement of the picker-staff being offered only as it reaches the point at which the shuttle leaves the picker.

I do not conne myself to the use of the pneumatic cushion herein described, for it is evident that many other forms of resistance, such as springs, may be substituted therefor, and any other form of leverage may be substituted for the cam 19.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. Apicker-staff, a controller-arm therefor, means for movably supporting the arm in a loom, connections between the arm and the staff whereby the arm may be moved, and resistance means for resisting the movement of the arm at both ends of its throw.

2. A picker-staff, a controller-arm therefor, means for movably mounting the arm in a loom, connections between the arm and the sta whereby the arm may be moved, and a resistance disconnected from said arm and adapted to resist the movement thereof at times.

3. A picker-staff, a controller-lever pivotally mounted and having a cam, connections therebetween whereby the lever may be swung and a resistance bearing on the cam.

et. A picker-staff, a bearing-pin secured thereto, a lever pivotally mounted and having a path or guide in which the bearing-.pin works, and means for resisting the movement of the lever at times.

5. A picker-staff, a bearing projection seL cured thereto, a lever pivotally mounted and having a cam at one end and a curved guide in which the projection may work, and a resistance device against which the cam permanently bears.

G. A picker-staff furnished with a lateral projection, a lever having a curved guide in which the bearing may work, and a pneumatic cushion in permanent operative relation with the lever.

7. A picker-staff furnished with a lateral projection, a lever pivotally mounted and having a curved guide-slot in which the projection works and a cam, and a pneumatic cushion against whichthe cam bears withincreased pressure at times.

8. In a picker-staff controller, the pneumatic cushion comprising the chamber having the inwardly-contracted wall furnished with the annular supporting-face and the annular securing-lip, and the convex diaphragm having the circumferential flange, secured between said support and lip, the depressed central portion and the perforated riding button secured in said depression.

9. In a picker-staff controller, the pneumatic cushion or resistance, a cam mounted in bearing relation thereto and adapted to compress the same at times, and connections between the cam and the picker-stan whereby the cam is brought into such compressive relation at both ends of the picker-staff throw.

10. The combination with a bracket adaptin the slot 16, as and for the purpose de- 1o ed to be secured in a loom and hating a pneuscribed. matie cushion, and the controller-lever hav- In testimony whereof I aix my signature ing the plates 14 and 15, the plate 15 having in presence of two Witnesses. the slot 16, the end 17, the base 18 and the @am 19 pvotally supported by such bracket, FRANK B COMINS of the box 7, provided With means whereby it Witnesses: may be secured to a picker-sta, and having W. STANLEY CAMPBELL, the pin 9 with its sleeve 10 adapted to travel HENRY J. MILLER. 

